Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Polo Ralph Lauren. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Polo Ralph Lauren is an American clothing and lifestyle goods company. It was created by fashion designer Ralph Lauren in 1967, who started selling ties in New York. Two years later, he opened his own boutique. He slowly expanded until his first international store opened in London in 1981. He has since become a household name with iconic, semi-formal clothes that became must-have items in the 1980s. His short-sleeved shirts, sweaters and chinos are still highly popular. His brand is now worth over $5 billion and the company employs 13,000 people. It now sells home accessories and perfumes in over 160 stores around the world. All Ralph Lauren goods carry the logo of a polo player on horseback. The website says Lauren has been responsible for “redefining American style”.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Polo Ralph Lauren on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. POLO RALPH LAUREN MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Polo Ralph Lauren. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Polo Ralph Lauren. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Polo Ralph Lauren and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Polo Ralph Lauren. They write these down and add the same number of things about the company that are false. Students test each other on which of their points are true or false.
6. FACTS:In groups, students write down as many facts as they can about Polo Ralph Lauren. The winner is the group with the most facts. Teacher may wish to have groups share their facts to make sure they are real.
LISTENING / READING GAP FILL
Polo Ralph Lauren is an _______________________ goods company. It was created by fashion designer Ralph Lauren in 1967, _______________________ New York. Two years later, he _______________________. He slowly expanded until his first international store opened in London in 1981. He has _______________________ name with iconic, semi-formal clothes that became must-_______________________. His short-sleeved shirts, sweaters and chinos _______________________. His brand is now worth over $5 billion and the company employs 13,000 people. It now sells home accessories and perfumes _______________________ the world. All Ralph Lauren goods _______________________ player on horseback. The website says Lauren has been responsible for “redefining American style”.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Polo Ralph Lauren is an American clothing and eelyslift goods company. It was created by fashion sdinegre Ralph Lauren in 1967, who started selling ties in New York. Two years later, he opened his own oeqitbuu. He slowly expanded until his first international store opened in London in 1981. He has since become a heldsuhoo name with iconic, semi-oafmrl clothes that became must-have items in the 1980s. His short-ldeesev shirts, sweaters and chinos are still highly popular. His brand is now owtrh over $5 billion and the company somlepy 13,000 people. It now sells home ecscorsasei and perfumes in over 160 stores around the world. All Ralph Lauren goods carry the logo of a polo player on horseback. The website says Lauren has been enroilbepss for “redefining American style”.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Polo Ralph Lauren clothing American an is lifestyle and goods company. It was created by fashion designer Ralph Lauren in 1967, who selling in York started ties New. Two years later, he opened his own boutique. He slowly international opened until first store expanded his in London in 1981. become household He since a name has with iconic, semi-formal clothes that became must-have items in the 1980s. His short-sleeved shirts, sweaters still are chinos and popular highly. His brand is now worth over $5 billion and the company employs 13,000 people. perfumes now home and It sells accessories in over 160 stores around the world. All Ralph Lauren goods on of horseback a carry polo the player logo. The website says Lauren responsible been has redefining “ for American style”.
polo ralph lauren is an american clothing and lifestyle goods company. it was created by fashion designer ralph lauren in 1967, who started selling ties in new york. two years later, he opened his own boutique. he slowly expanded until his first international store opened in london in 1981. he has since become a household name with iconic, semi-formal clothes that became must-have items in the 1980s. his short-sleeved shirts, sweaters and chinos are still highly popular. his brand is now worth over $5 billion and the company employs 13,000 people. it now sells home accessories and perfumes in over 160 stores around the world. all ralph lauren goods carry the logo of a polo player on horseback. the website says lauren has been responsible for “redefining american style”.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Polo Ralph Lauren .......... (be) an American clothing and lifestyle goods company. It was .......... (create) by fashion designer Ralph Lauren in 1967, who .......... (start) selling ties in New York. Two years later, he .......... (open) his own boutique. He slowly .......... (expand) until his first international store .......... (open) in London in 1981. He has since .......... (become) a household name with iconic, semi-formal clothes that .......... (become) must-have items in the 1980s. His short-sleeved shirts, sweaters and chinos .......... (be) still highly popular. His brand .......... (be) now worth over $5 billion and the company .......... (employ) 13,000 people. It now .......... (sell) home accessories and perfumes in over 160 stores around the world. All Ralph Lauren goods .......... (carry) the logo of a polo player on horseback. The website .......... (say) Lauren has .......... (be) responsible for “redefining American style”.
Polo Ralph Lauren is an American clothing and ____________ goods company. It was created by fashion designer Ralph Lauren in 1967, who started selling ties in New York. Two years later, he opened his own ____________. He slowly ____________ until his first international store opened in London in 1981. He has since become a ____________ name with iconic, semi-____________ clothes that became must-____________ items in the 1980s. His short-sleeved shirts, sweaters and chinos are still ____________ popular. His brand is now worth over $5 billion and the company employs 13,000 people. It now sells ____________ accessories and perfumes in over 160 stores around the world. All Ralph Lauren goods ____________ the logo of a polo player on horseback. The website says Lauren has been ____________ for “redefining American style”.
home have boutique
responsible
household
highly
carry
lifestyle
expanded
formal
PROJECT POLO RALPH LAUREN
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Polo Ralph Lauren. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Polo Ralph Lauren is better than the competition
How to beat the competition
Part 2. Change partners and look at their project. Suggest improvements. Ask for advice on your project:
Part 3. Make a presentation on your project. Give it to the class. Vote the best projects.
POLO RALPH LAUREN – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Polo Ralph Lauren CEO
You believe your company is the best in the world. It pays its workers very well and working conditions are great. Your company is very green – it cares about the environment. You think your levels of customer service are great. Disagree with person B, C and D.
Role B – Polo Ralph Lauren worker
You think it’s a bad company to work for. You’re very unhappy with pay, raises and bonuses. You are very unhappy with the working environment. You don’t like the company’s policy on the environment. You keep hearing profits are more important than customers. Disagree with A and C. Tell D the truth.
Role C – Polo Ralph Lauren customer
You are a customer of Polo Ralph Lauren. You used to think it was great, but not now. Its workers are always very rude. No one ever answers the phone. You are shocked about its policy on the environment. You think all staff should get less pay. You disagree with person A and B. Tell D the truth.
Role D – A journalist
You keep hearing bad things about Polo Ralph Lauren. You want to tell the world in your newspaper. You heard the CEO gets a huge bonus every year. You found a company memo saying profits are more important than the environment. You want to know why so many staff are ill. Find the truth.
POLO RALPH LAUREN – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Polo Ralph Lauren New Products Director
You have created a new product for Polo Ralph Lauren. You believe the new product will be the company’s best ever. It will be a bestseller. There are people who do not agree with you. You need B, C and D on your side. Tell them why this is a product that will bring great things to Polo Ralph Lauren.
Role B – Polo Ralph Lauren Marketing Director
You think the company’s new product is a really bad idea. It will give your company a really bad name. You think the New Products Director is trying to destroy the company. Try to get him/her to understand there’s no way the new product will sell. Try to get person C and D on your side.
Role C – Polo Ralph Lauren Market Researcher
You have interviewed thousands of people about the new product. They don’t like it or hate it. You think it will be successful if they make many changes. Tell the New Products Director he/she needs to change the product. You neither like nor trust person B. Disagree will him/her.
Role D – Polo Ralph Lauren Shareholder
You know a lot about Polo Ralph Lauren’s new product. You are worried it will not sell and share prices will go down. You think A is crazy and must find a new job. You agree with everything B says. You don’t agree with C. The new product should not go on the market.
Write a letter of apology to the customer. Explain why you cannot give a refund. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other’s work.
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HOMEWORK
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about Polo Ralph Lauren. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Polo Ralph Lauren. What have they done recently? What are their plans? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. POLO RALPH LAUREN POSTERMake a poster about Polo Ralph Lauren. Make sure you sell the company to the public. Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.
5. MY POLO RALPH LAUREN LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Polo Ralph Lauren. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Teach the class / another group when you have finished.
6. ONLINE SHARING:Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter stream, Del-icio-us / StumbleUpon account, or any other social media tool to get opinions on Polo Ralph Lauren. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
